Contour gauge



Oct. 28, 1952 OLSON 2,615,256

CONTOUR GAUGE Filed May 17, 1951 3 Eg. J

- mun 62 Q r 4 $2 4 Zmnentor (Ittomegd Patented Oct. 28, 1952 Harry L.Olson, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Ckola Company, Minneapolis, acrpo--.

ration of Minnesota Application May 17, 1951, Serial No. 226,788

My invention relatesto contour-gauges and has for an object theprovision of means whereby the contour of a given line or article may bequickly and easily copied.

Another important objectjofjmy invention is the provision of acontourvgauge which isqui'ckly and easily adjusted to a given contourand locked in its adjusted position; 2

A still further object ,of my invention is the provision of a contourgauge as set forth which may be stored in a minimumbf space and which inuse may be inserted into areas of relatively small dimension.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a contour gaugecomprising a plurality of contour indicating fingers in side-by-siderelationship wherein novel means are provided for maintaining saidfingers in side-by-side parallel relationship.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a contour gaugeas'set forth which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture,which comprises a minimum of different parts, which is efficient inoperation, and which is rugged in construction and durable in use.

Other highly important objects and advantages of my invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed specification, appendedclaims, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the invention and in whichlike characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of my novel contour gauge, some partsbeing broken away and some parts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation as seen from the left to the rightwith respect to Fig 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation as seen from the right to the leftwith respect to Fig. 1.

Referring with greater detail to the drawings, my novel contour gauge isshown as comprising a plurality of elongated plate-like contourindicating fingers I that are mounted in side-by-side parallelrelationship on a mounting member 2. Each of the fingers I is providedintermediate its opposite ends 3 and 4 with a slot 5 which extendslongitudinally of the finger I and through which the mounting member 2projects.

The mounting member 2 is in the nature of a plate-like bar and is of alength to extend laterally outwardly beyond the plates I and carries apair of cooperating clamping elements in its opposite ends. One of theclamping elements is in the nature of a flange or plate 6 riveted orotherwise rigidly secured to the adjacent end of 2 ,Cl ,ims. (Cl. 33175)the mounting bar 2 and the other of said clamping members comprises abifurcated cam-acting lever l pivotally mounted-on the opposite endportion 8 of the. mounting bar by means of a v headed pivot pinorIthe'likeS. M

formed to provide a pair of cam-acting surfaces.

The lever 1 is ID, one of which is shown, which are eccentric to theaxis of the pivot pin'9 whereby, when the lever I is moved to itsdottedline position of Fig. 1, the several indicator fingers I are freeto move longitudinally with respect to each other and to the, mountingmemberj. However, when the lever I is moved to its full-dine position ofFig. 1, the contour indicating fingers I are compressed therebetween andthe flange 6 and frictionally locked against said longitudinalmovements. A rectangular washer H is mounted on the mounting bar 2between the lever 1 and the adjacent finger I and serves to provide aWearing surface against which the cam surfaces I0 are adapted to bear.The mounting bar 2 is substantially of the same thickness as the widthof the slots 5 in the several fingers I less proper working clearance,so that when the clamping lever I is moved to its finger releasingposition, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the several fingers arefree to move longitudinally with respect to the mounting bar 2. The bar2 is, however, of sufiicient width to prevent rotation thereof withrespect to the fingers I so that the parallel relationship of thefingers is maintained irrespective of the longitudinal displacement ofsome of the fingers with respect to others thereof.

It will be noted, by reference to Figs. 2 and 3, that the clampingelements 6 and I, the pivot pin 9, and the washer II are of widths notexceeding the width of the several fingers I. This arrangement not onlypermits the entire device to be stored in a relatively confinedarea inthe users tool box or the like, but also permits determination ofsurface contours in restricted areas. The end portions 4 of the severalfingers I are reduced in width, as indicated at I2, to further permitentrance thereof into restricted areas and to enable the user todetermine the contour of a given article or line with greater accuracyand with a minimum of effort.

When it is desired to determine the contour of a given object, the usermoves the lever l to its dotted-line position in Fig. 1 and holds thegauge substantially perpendicular to the surface to be gauged with theends 4 of the fingers abutting said surface. The several fingers I aremanipulated so that the ends 4 of each thereof contact the surface to begauged or determined after which the lever I is moved to its lockinfull-linegposition of Fig. 1. The contour formed by the position of thefingers I may then be compared to a layout or pattern, or the gauge maybe placed upon a sheet of paper or other material and the contourinscribed upon the paper with a pencil, using the ends 4 of the fingersl as a guide forthe pencil. Y I

, My invention has been thoroughly tested and foundto be completelysatisfactory for the accomplishment of the objectives set forth; and,while I have shown and described a commercial embodiment of my novelcontour gauge, it will be understood that the same is capable ofmodification without departure-from the spiritand scope of the inventionas defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A contour gauge comprising a plurality of contour indicating fingersmounted in side-byside parallel relationship, said fingers being ofuniform dimensions and each having a longitudinally extended slotintermediate its ends, a plate-like mounting bar extending transverselythrough said slots, said mounting bar being of .a thickness onlyslightly less than the width. of

said slots, whereby t permit limited longitudinal sliding movements ofsaid fingers with respect to said, bar andv to each other and havingsufficientiwidth to prevent rotation thereof in said slots, andcooperating clamping elements on the opposite; ends of said mounting'bar laterally outwardly of said fingers, one ofisaid clamping elementscomprising a flange rigidly mounted on said bar and engageable with theadjacent finger, the other of said clamping elements including acam-acting lever pivotally mounted on the other end of the bar, saidlever being movable in one direction of pivotal movement to permitlongitudinal sliding movements of said fingers with respect to eachother and to the mounting bar, and inwthe opposite; direction of.pivotal movement to compresssaidfingers "together whereby tofrictionally lock the same against said sliding movements.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the several fingers arereduced in width at one end toepermit entrance thereof into restrictedalfeasi v HARRY L. OLSON.

REFERENCES CITED I he following references are of record in the(Addition in No. 330,009)

